Need Housing for USNT Sailors Sept 1-4

Chicago Yacht Club has agreed to host a practice weekend for the US Optimist Dinghy Association (USODA) National and Development teams. The purpose of the US National Team and Development Team is to improve the level of Optimist sailing in the United States by providing high level training to top US Optimist sailors who compete internationally.

The US Optimist National and Development teams meet regularly during the year to train as a team in a variety of conditions, and to receive coaching offered by top Optimist coaches from around the US. 

Team members travel solo without parents to practice weekends.

The practice weekend at Chicago YC is September 1- 4, 2017. 

This practice is an opportunity for Chicago YC to showcase our facilities and our growing Optimist dinghy program. Our Optimist race team has one member on the US Development team and, in the last few years, several sailors have qualified for the USNT/DT selection regatta. 

The USODA asks the host club to provide housing for the team’s sailors as a way for the visiting sailors to meet new people, hone their independence skills, and provide inspiration for young sailors.

We looking for host families to provide housing and transportation, details are below. Host family time commitment is at the beginning and end of each day. The “SCHEDULE” section below there is an outline of the weekend with the host family responsibilities in bold.

Practice Weekend Schedule:

Friday, Sept 1

• 3pm – 5pm: scheduled flight arrival at O’Hare and Midway , meet parent chaperones and host club drivers for drive to Chicago YC (looking for volunteers)
• 5-8pm – sailors at Chicago YC for welcome dinner
• 8pm – host family pick up

Saturday, Sept 2, and Sunday, Sept 3

• 7:30 am: sailors arrive at Chicago YC
• 7:30 am: breakfast at Chicago YC
• 8am – 7pm: team activities
• 7pm: sailor pick up
• 9pm: lights out

Monday, Sept 4

• 7:30 am: sailors arrive at Chicago YC
• 7:30 am: breakfast at Chicago YC
• 8am – 4pm: team activities
• 5-7pm sailors to O’Hare and Midway with host club drivers, meet parent chaperones for escort flights

Details on Host Family Duties

Housing – 

• It is ideal for the sailors to have at least one other teammate at a host family house. This helps with team building for the sailors and helps to keep the number of host families to a minimum. We ask that you host 2-3 sailors if possible but will be happy to have host families that can host 1 sailor.
• Sailors of the same sex can share a bed or air mattresses. Sailors can sleep on a couch.
• Sailors do not need their own room(s)

Meals - 

Main meals are provided by the USNT/DT at Chicago YC. Snacks are nice but not expected.

Laundry - 

USNT/DT members do not expect laundry during their practice session. They will pack enough clothing for the practice.

Transportation – 

• Sept 1 between 3 and 5pm – this is arrival day at O’Hare and Midway. The parent coordinators is working on easy ways to transport the sailors to and from the airports to minimize the need for every host family to go to O’Hare and Midway, volunteers for this duty are appreciated.
• See the “Schedule” for estimated times at the beginning and end of the practice days for transportation needs

If you are able to assist with providing housing and transportation as a host family, please contact Kathy Barnard at barnardkathy@hotmail.com to finalize the details.

Announcement of the assignment of USNT/DT team members and host families will be made around August 29^th.